Cool Cucumber Raita

by | Mar 27, 2013 | Dairy, Gluten Free, Gujarati Food, Indian Food, Low Glycemic Recipes, Raita, Relishes and Pickles

Cucumber Raitha

Raita is a healthy compliment to any meal.  A typical meal is not complete without raita.  Raita is made of yogurt combined with different vegetables and/or fruits. The combination of Yogurts’ probiotics and  fresh cucumber with vitamins has a soothing affect on the digestive system against the highly seasoned foods. Variations can be made by substituting fruits and other vegetables.

Cooking  Time: 15 Minutes
Cooking Level: Very Easy
Servings: 4

AO = Anti-Oxidant

, 
GF = Gluten Free, 
HF = High Fiber, 
HP = High Protein

J = Jain, LS = Low Sugar

Ingredients:

1. Three cups of plain yogurt (home made or bought in stores)

2. Garden Cucumbers
3. Green Chili Chopped
4. 1/4 teaspoon salt to taste
5. 1/2 teaspoon of sugar
6. Garnish: chopped cilantro, Crushed mustard seeds, roasted crushed cumin seeds

Preparation:

1. In a bowl, whip yogurt with a whisk
2. Grate Cucumbers. Drain excess water
3. Roast cumin seeds and crush them with a mortar and pestle
4. Crush mustard seeds with mortar and pestle
5. Mix all the ingredients
6. Garnish with cilantro
7. Keep in refrigerator. Serve with your favorite food
Enjoy with any meal. Can be used as  salad dressing. Check our recipes for tomato and onion raitha
Nutrition Facts are for Entire Recipe.
Divide by 4 for Single Serving.

Health benefits of Cucumber

  • It is one of the very low calories vegetable; provides just 15 calories per 100 g. It contains no saturated fats or cholesterol. Cucumber peel is a good source of dietary fiber that helps reduce constipation, and offers some protection against colon cancers by eliminating toxic compounds from the gut.
  • It is a very good source of potassium, an important intracellular electrolyte. Potassium is a heart friendly electrolyte; helps reduce blood pressure and heart rates by countering effects of sodium.
  • It contains unique anti-oxidants in good ratios such as ß-carotene and α-carotene, vitamin-C, vitamin-A, zea-xanthin and lutein. These compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging and various disease processes.
  • Cucumbers have mild diuretic property probably due to their high water and potassium content, which helps in checking weight gain and high blood pressure.

  • They are surprisingly have high amount of vitamin K, provides about 17 µg of this vitamin per 100 g. Vitamin-K has been found to have potential role in bone strength by promoting osteotrophic (bone mass building) activity. It also has established role in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease patients by limiting neuronal damage in their brain.

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